• Start Here
  • Home
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting

What Do We Do All Day

Books and Activities for Kids

You are here: Home / Gift Guides / Best Nonboard Board Games for Kids and Families

Best Nonboard Board Games for Kids and Families

November 29, 2020

527shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

It’s not always easy finding a board game the whole family will enjoy. And some people simply groan at the idea of a board game in which players simply move their pawns around a maze towards an elusive goal. I’m calling these games “nonboard board games” and they are terrific choices for kids and families who want to play games but need something a bit more unique than checkers and Candy Land to inspire them.

A list of nonboard games for kids

We own all of these nonboard games (except one, which we’ve played elsewhere) I am heartily recommending them based on our experience playing games. Many of them are very popular games with a long track record and most have also won awards, so they make great gifts. I am confident other families will love these “nonboard board games!” (Note: Game images and title links are affiliate links.)


Roller Coaster Challenge Logic & Building Game. ThinkFun sent us this game to try out and my sons loved it. Using challenge cards, players engage their logic skills to finish a roller coaster. It is primarily designed as a single player game, but we enjoyed playing it as a family, taking turns and helping each other out. This is an excellent choice if you are looking for a game that builds on S.T.E.M. skills, especially engineering and design.


Forbidden Island. My kids adore this game for it’s unique challenges. I love it because it is a cooperative game so everyone practices working together for a common goal. Players work as a team to capture the four treasures and escape the island before it sinks. Island cards are arranged in a grid and pawns move from tile to tile performing actions like shoring up the island against flooding, uncovering clues and rescuing other players. Don’t miss the companion games, Forbidden Desert and Forbidden Sky!


Sumoku. Sumoku is what you get when you merge sudoku, a crossword puzzle, Qwirkle, Scrabble, and arithmetic. Yes, I know. That description sounds AWESOME, right? The instructions include five different versions so you won’t get bored. Players create rows of numbers in which the sum totals a multiple of the key number, determined at the beginning of the game. Players then take turns adding on to the rows in a manner similar to Scrabble.

See more of our favorite math games for kids.


Qwirkle. Qwirkle looks a bit like a cross between dominoes and Scrabble but the rules are quite different. Players take turns trying to create “qwirkles,” sequences of six tiles all sharing at least one attribute—color or shape. You win points along the way based on the positioning of your tiles. This is one of the most popular family games ever and has won several awards, including the Mensa Select Award. It was also our game of the month!


Suspend. This fun balancing game is very suspenseful! Players take turns trying to add sticks to a pedestal without tipping the structure over! This game is excellent for building concentration skills and requires a lot of patience. If you like Jenga, Suspend is a fun alternative.


Spot It. This very popular game of visual perception is great to have on hand when you are on the go. There are several variations so players don’t get bored and children of all ages can participate. Players race to be the first person to spot which cards have the same object. It sounds simple, but it’s not as easy as it looks! As this game has increased in popularity, the creator put out new themed versions so there is something for everyone. Spot It is also an excellent travel game.


Dizios holds a Mensa Select Award (which means you can feel super smart while playing it) and is a wonderful new twist on dominoes. Players work on strategy skills, thinking ahead a few steps to how they will create patterns with the dizzyingly colorful tiles.


Double Shutter. This can be played with multiple players or as a solitaire game. In fact, it is quite addictive! Players must roll the dice in order to flip down the numbers in the “super box”. But if they don’t strategically choose which numbers to flip, they might be shut out! It’s an excellent way of learning how different combinations of numbers can be added to produce the same sum. It also teaches logical and strategic thinking.


Rummikub. This game has been a huge hit in our home. It is actually one of my all time favorites. As in the classic Rummy card game, the object of Rummikub is to use up your “hand” (in this case, tiles instead of cards) by creating numbered runs and sets. Players can strategically reorganize the tiles already out on the table in order to play the tiles in their hand. The first player to use up his tiles wins the round, amassing points based on the tiles left in the other players’ hands.


Yamslam is a fun twist on Yahtzee, but in my opinion much less aggravating and much better for children. Players get 3 tries in an attempt to roll a scoring hand. Instead of keeping track with a score pad, players collect chips. It is one of my youngest child’s favorite games!

Also check out these single player logic games!

Fantastic single player logic games kids will love.

Non-board games for families.
Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
527shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

by: Erica posted in: Games, Gift Guides 6 Comments

« Funny Christmas Books for Kids
LEGO Menorah: Have a Creative and Flameless Hanukkah »

Comments

  1. wendy says

    January 16, 2018 at 9:16 am

    stumbled upon your site from pinterest and found so many wonderful resources. i’ve just reserved a ton of your book recommendations at the library and am ordering some of these games on amazon. I’m considering pulling my 5yo out of montessori next year to homeschool first grade and websites like yours help to build my confidence that we can do it and do it well. thank you!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      January 16, 2018 at 10:04 am

      Happy reading!

      Reply
  2. Norah in Toronto says

    December 8, 2018 at 7:58 am

    Hi Erica, I want to get some new games for Christmas. Just wondering….could my six-year old enjoy Forbidden Island? Should I wait a year or two or do you think it could be okay? (He can’t read yet, but he plays Cribbage so he’s a fairly sophisticated game player.)
    Would love your advice. Thanks for sharing the things you love, which line right up with the things we love!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      December 9, 2018 at 8:10 am

      If he is an experienced game player I think it might be alright. Since Forbidden Island is a cooperative game he will be working with the other players to determine each move. Gamewright recommends the game for ages 10 and up, which I think is too old, unless only children are playing. My youngest son was playing with us when he was 6-almost-7. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. Jennifer Murphy says

    December 13, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    I would add Othello and Sequence, two of my family’s favorites.
    Thanks for the list!

    Reply
  4. Carrie Adams says

    November 30, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    Would you please remind me of what “build your own board game you recommend?” Thank you!

    Reply

Feed My Comment Addiction Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

STOP THE WHINING!

SAY, "YES I WANT TO UNPLUG MY KIDS." JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER LIST AND GET 10 WAITING GAMES YOUR KIDS CAN PLAY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Join over 12,000 parents who subscribe to the most useful newsletter on the planet. 

    We won't send you spam (yuck). Unsubscribe at any time.

    Search

    What Have We Done Lately?

    Indoor Nature Activities for Winter that Kids Love

    Winter Bookmark Coloring Page

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Books for Kids

    A Year of Family Audiobooks

    Favorite Winter Craft: Ice Wreaths

    Snow Day Activities that Make the Best Memories!

    Winter Poems for Kids and a Calming Afternoon


    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    Copyright 2007-2020 What Do We Do All Day? All rights reserved.

    EXPLORE MORE:

    Awesome Newsletter
    Favorite Resources for Parents
    100s of Book Lists
    Gigantic List of Indoor Activities
    Best Games on the Planet
    Stay At Home Parent Resources


    Privacy, disclosure and copyright policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme Description: This is the Foodie Pro child theme created for the Genesis Framework. Author: Shay Bocks Author URI: http://shaybocks.com/ Version: 2.0.5 Tags: black, orange, white, one-column, two-columns, three-columns, fixed-width, custom-menu, full-width-template, sticky-post, theme-options, threaded-comments, translation-ready Template: genesis Template Version: 2.0.1 License: GPL-2.0+ License URI: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php by Shay Bocks

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more